Rumor: Rumours and Proposals PART6 for 2016/2017-Complaint window 1 is now open

[McOvechking]

Our LW and C depth are quite good.
Lucic McDavid
Pouliot Draisaitl
Maroon Nugent-Hopkins

The real issue is the coach deciding to play Drai on the 2nd line RW with Nuge. That kills our offensive depth, and the two clearly lack chemistry (though that can grow).

 

[Seachd]

I wonder how much input McLellan, who seems like a pretty smart guy, has into these decisions, and if he's screaming inside today.

My guess would be that what's happening here is somewhere in the 90% neighbourhood McLellan's decisions.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Its the culmination of these terrible moves that all connect into one moronic off season. Chia destroyed our RW depth and likely exposed our 18 y/o rookie(just like every putts before him) for a 2nd round pick and a $3mil bottom pairing LHD dman. That blows my mind.

I wonder how much input McLellan, who seems like a pretty smart guy, has into these decisions, and if he's screaming inside today.

Wondering this as well. He cant possibly be sitting in that room thinking this is wise lol

 

[Seachd]

I miss the days of striking out on Marian Hossa. Now we're whining about Versteeg and PAP. What progress we've made.

At least then it was about something, now it's about the waiver wire and PTOs.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The season was over mid July when the Oilers failed to properly address their defense. This is just the icing on the cake.

Oh yeah we juuuust missed out on PK Subban. We should've added Yakupov to sweeten the deal. That would've made it happen.

As it turns out teams don't deal #1 defensemen for anything other than the equivalent. Who knew?

Alternatively we could've just gone into the season with the same defense and done nothing to upgrade it. That might've worked.

 

[nabob]

The ones who develop in the NHL are exception to the rule not the norm. McDavid for example is an exception. Not many guys like him are around.

How many times we asked ourselves, imagine RNH, Hall, Yak, Schultz had more AHL time to develop their game. There's a good chances their game would have been better long term. Caggiula and Pulju should not be any different.

Not one single time did Inask myself that question about any of those players.

 

[Spawn]

I'm not tell you anything, you're you seem to hate the team and are beating the "this is garbage you guys" Dumb even harder then Gone.

I don't get the point, giving a **** about the Oilers is completely optional, if it causes you such stress and grief, why bother.

It's an abusive relationship. I don't have the self will to get out. I'm here for life.

 

[KlimasLoveChild]

This. /close thread

...exactly...nothing more to see here

 

[IAGTTAYM]

Does anyone else envision us having trouble getting secondary scoring?

The bottom six won't get anything done and the defence is suspect when it comes to producing offence.

It will all be on the top two lines.

 

[soothsayer]

I don't know what's more absurd, the US presidential election or this board. Puljujarvi might literally be twice as good as Versteeg. Wait till he scored two goals tomorrow with his nightmare snapshot. Crickets over here.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Those who are over the edge vs. those in denial.

Haha, this board.

 

[OilCountry93]

Woof! Apart from Monahan/Gaudreau that is a horrendous looking forward corps. How are these idiots still paying Matt Stajan to play?

Our top 6 is better, but not by a huge margin. In fact pro-rating to 82 GP for Ebs and McD combined with Looch they would've scored 197 points. Gaudreau/Monaghan/Versteeg combined for 183, not a massive difference. Their bottom six is better, again not be a huge margin. But their D is substantially better and probably goaltending too. Elliott and Talbot are close to equal but Johnson >>> Monster.

 

[Seachd]

Calgary also signs Nicklas Grossmann.

 

[nhlisajoke]

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie · 54s54 seconds ago

CGY signs Nick Grossmann, who was on a PTO, to one-year, one-way deal worth $575K.

 

[Digger12]

I agree. But I mean, the role of the RW spot in my mind was between Slepy and Versteeg.

Slepy created a lot more then Versteeg, just didn't pot anything. Finishes his checks, is 10x better on the forecheck and back check and can play a heavy style.

I much prefer Slepy, and in my eye, deserves it.

Pitlick needs to take that spot from Pulju, as JP deserves nothing more than some time in the AHL to learn the NA game/speed/style.

This is kind of how I see it too. If we're going purely by preseason performance, it's been Slepyshev who had been looking stronger and stronger as the preseason progressed, while other than some nice finish on a great feed by Pitlick on that goal vs. Calgary in that first preseason game, did Versteeg do much more to make himself look good to the team he had signed a PTO with? And then he gets hurt, further taking him out of the spotlight.

At the end of the day though, ultimately the Oilers did offer a contract to Versteeg but he decided to jump at a better opportunity in Calgary. It doesn't sound like the Oilers even were given a chance to counter-offer, he just packed up his bags and took off down south.

It is what it is, maybe Calgary was just annoyed that we signed Russell. Who knows.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

That's so the flames.

Where's a picture of Burke with his tie off and a real stoopid hairdo?

 

[lakai17]

Slepshev is nhl ready.

 

[McOvechking]

Slepshev is nhl ready.

Yeah, I agree. I think Pitlick is ready for the full-time gig too.

 

[McTrashBoat]

So who's listening to Oilers Now that wants to transcribe Chia's interview for the rest of us?

 

[McTedi]

Calgary also signs Nicklas Grossmann.

Looking forward to seeing McD screw him into the ice as he flys by on the rush.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Kassian's likely breathing a sigh of relief.


For me it's a real risk not signing Versteeg. If Eberle goes down, this team's best RH shots are rookies, or Kassian/Pakarinen/Letestu...

Lucic-McDavid-Eberle
Maroon-RNH-Draisaitl
Pouliot-Caggiula-Kassian
Lander-Letestu-Pitlick

Hendricks and Pakman on IR.


Still a nice set-up, but depth scares be a bit. A lot of faith being shown in Slepyshev and Puljujarvi. Though I do like that how the team should be forcing the issue with those top two lines.

 

[McOvechking]

Kassian's likely breathing a sigh of relief.


For me it's a real risk not signing Versteeg. If Eberle goes down, this team's best RH shots are rookies, or Kassian/Pakarinen/Letestu...

Lucic-McDavid-Eberle
Maroon-RNH-Draisaitl
Pouliot-Caggiula-Kassian
Lander-Letestu-Pitlick

Hendricks and Pakman on IR.


Still a nice set-up, but depth scares be a bit. A lot of faith being shown in Slepyshev and Puljujarvi. Though I do like that how the team should be forcing the issue with those top two lines.

Not a lot of teams in the league have great RW depth. We, like everyone else, need the rookies to step up and perform when given the opportunity. Same goes for any other team.

 

[nabob]

To quote Bart Simpson
"You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't."

Trade for one of the better, young RHD in the game and sign a legit LHD veteran NHL player, same person hates both moves but then say we didn't address the depth issue on D at all.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

I mean, do you think Lucic will just let that slide? Versteeg jumping ship? He went to the wrong place, lol.

Also, IMO he jumped ship to go to Calgary because he must have known he was outplayed during pre-season and was likely to lose a spot sooner than later on this roster. This isn't just a rationalization - you can follow my posts on him, I never thought he looked spectacular and backed others who were also surprised by this boards reaction to the guy. Anyways, if he loses a spot during the season, good luck to the guy when it comes to solidifying a contract next season in the NHL. Calgary has a weaker forward group than we do, less competition and Versteeg has got to be thinking ahead here. In the end, who cares?

If it's because of rookies starting, it's as stated earlier in this thread, those players outplayed him for that position. The deserve it. Them being Cagguila and Slepyshev(if he counts as a rookie.)

 

[lakai17]

Does anyone else envision us having trouble getting secondary scoring?

Out secondary scoring has improved. We never had any secondary scoring the last 10 years and with the top 2 lines today we shouldn't have to rely on secondary scoring as is but it's definitely improved today so I'm not concerned one bit.